Progress Report: Community Engagement

Executive Leadership: Office of the President

Unit Leadership: Office of Government and Community Relations

Published November 9, 2022

Summary of Progress

Creation of the Community Relations Advisory Council

The Community Relations Advisory Council includes representatives from across decanal and VP units and will begin to work toward further unifying and supporting community engagement work by the university.

Development of a Community Engagement Style Guide

As outlined in the PACOR Recommendation Matrix, the facilitation of consistent and uniform messaging across all decanal and VP Units is critical to the development of a unified approach to community engagement by the university. The development of the Community Engagement Style Guide has created consistency across the university for how the university crafts content around community engagement efforts.

Development of an Off-Campus Living Guide

In collaboration with Student Life, the Office of Community Relations is assisting with the creation of a guide for students who choose to live off campus. Starting at the commencement of the Fall 2024 semester, this guide will serve as a resource for students unfamiliar with the Buffalo area to find safe, acceptable housing, and as an informative resource for City of Buffalo living.

Prioritizing the redevelopment of Allen Hall

With the long-term goal of increasing community accessibility and visibility, the Office of Community Relations is now located in its permanent home in Allen Hall.
In consultation with Campus Planning, the public spaces inside Allen Hall will be redesignated for renovation to create two refreshed, modern, and spacious areas designed to host and support community-oriented programming.

Co-Sponsoring and Hosting Community Events – Bringing the Community on to Campus

Allen Hall is already hosting community events including an LLC Fair co-sponsored by UB with NYS Assembly Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes to provide support for women and minority-owned businesses by offering start-up expertise and the area of incorporation.
The Office of Community Relations, in coordination with University Events and UBPD, hosts the University United Festival, the largest music festival in East Buffalo. The event attracts thousands of attendees, primarily from the Bailey-Kensington neighborhood and the surrounding communities.
In concert with units across the university, the Office of Community Relations coordinates UB’s annual employee “Campaign for the Community.” In 2022, the university community raised more than $600,000 in support of numerous charitable and service organizations across Western New York in conjunction with the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County.

Progress on all recommendations

Previous Updates

Summary of Progress:

Recommendation #1: Enhancing Visibility and Coordination; Assessing our Progress

University’s central digital hub:

Office of Government Relations website has been reviewed and updated to provide a more robust snapshot of Community Engagement work across the university.
Expanded focus on faculty experts and storytelling (University Communications): Keeping in close touch with OIX and UDOs about stories showcasing diverse voices and demonstrating UB values.
Inclusive Marketing Communications Best Practices (University Communications). Better align marketing communications with UB’s values of inclusion, diversity, anti-racism and equity; ensure stories, language and imagery reflect an equitable institutional culture.

Applying consistent language when describing community engagement work:

University Communications has developed a style guide for consistency when reporting on UB’s endeavors in the community. The style guide is being shared with communicators across campus.

Facilitation and organization of community engagement-centric learning opportunities:

Community engagement-centric Lunch & Learn series planned for 2023.

Community Engagement Advisory Board:

On hold until the new Director of Community Relations starts.

Community Engagement Annual Report:

On hold until the new Director of Community Relations starts.

Encourage external community voices:

Community Relations staff continues to participate in community meetings.
University continues to host and coordinate events such as the Igniting Hope Conference and the Safe Schools Initiative Seminar, which bring community members together to create progress and encourage collaboration.

Comprehensive assessment tool to determine efficacy:

Assessment tool is being developed in conjunction with the Community Engagement Learning Series.

Recommendation #2: Support Structures; Resources and Recognition

Community engagement micro-credential/Community engagement orientation:

In development - The Basics of Community Engagement Learning Series will serve as an introduction to community engagement for UB faculty and staff interested in developing community-centric programs and initiatives, highlighting specific guiding principles that are crucial to employ when undertaking work in the community.

Community engagement grant program and award:

Not under the auspices of the Office of Community Relations. Referred to Scholarship, Tenure and Recognition Subcommittee.

Consider engaged scholarship in promotion and tenure:

Not under the auspices of the Office of Community Relations. Referred to Scholarship, Tenure and Recognition Subcommittee.

Recommendation #3: Building a culture of trust between UB and the community

Re-establish the community’s “front-door” with the renovation of Allen Hall:

Allen Hall’s Civic Room is back online and has been used for a number of community events, including a town hall with the NYS Department of Agriculture.
Renovation of Community Relations office space is in progress.

Support and encourage the expansion of K-12 pipeline programs for traditionally underrepresented students:

This is a conducted university-wide (see for example, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Graduate School of Education, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, etc.)

Progress on all recommendations

Recommendation	Timeline	Status
University’s central digital hub	2022	Completed
Consistent language when talking about “community engagement”	ASAP	In Progress
Facilitation and organization of community engagement-centric learning opportunities	Spring Semester 2023	Timeline Revised
Community Engagement Advisory Board	Jan 2023	Timeline Revised
Community Engagement Annual Report	2023	Timeline Revised
Encourage external community voices	Fall 2022	In Progress and ongoing.
Comprehensive assessment tool to determine efficacy	2023	In Progress; in conjunction w/ Learning Series
Community engagement micro-credential	2023	Timeline Revised; to follow Learning Series development
Community engagement orientation	2023	Revised – Learning Series to replace Orientation for now
Community engagement grant program and award	Fall 2022	Referred to Scholarship, Tenure and Recognition Subcommittee
Consider engaged scholarship in promotion and tenure	2022	Referred to Scholarship, Tenure and Recognition Subcommittee
Re-establish the community’s “front-door” with the renovation of Allen Hall	Spring 2023	In Progress
Support and encourage the expansion of K-12 pipeline programs for traditionally underrepresented students	2022	University-wide in Progress *and ongoing.*

Progress Report: Community Engagement

Executive Leadership: Office of the President

Unit Leadership: Office of Government and Community Relations

Summary of Progress

Previous Updates

November 15, 2022

Summary of Progress:

Recommendation #1: Enhancing Visibility and Coordination; Assessing our Progress

Recommendation #2: Support Structures; Resources and Recognition

Recommendation #3: Building a culture of trust between UB and the community

Progress on all recommendations